Stapling machine



pll 10, 1934- H. MATTHEWS ET AL 1,954,253

STAPLING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1955 I`\ l :inventors W YS? W Grtorneg Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE@ STAPLING MACHINE Application April 25, 1933, Serial No. 667,806

9 Claims.

Our invention relates to stapling machines and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a machine of this class which is particularly adapted to secure one end of a staple to a member such as a box, basket, or hamper lid whereby the remaining end of the staple is extended for subsequent securing of the lid to a complementary device; i

Second, to provide a machine of this class incorporating a novel means which automatically feeds the staples one at a time` into position for delivery;

Third, to provide a machine of this class which is adapted to be connected to the discharging means of a staple forming machine;

Fourth, to provide a machine of this class which may be arranged in the form of a removable ntting attachable to a conventional punch and die machine; and,

Fifth, to provide on the whole a novelly constructed stapling machine which is particularly simple of construction and of maintenance, durable, eflicient in its action and which does not readily deteriorate or get out of order. 2 With these and other objects in View, as will appear hereinafter, our invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon, which form a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a partial sectional, partial plan view of the stapling machine through 1--1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a partial sectional, partial elevational `View thereof through 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view thereof taken in part through 3--3 of Fig. 1,

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views .of the drawing.

Support and `guide means 1, plunger blade 2, bearing 3, shaft 4, staple delivery wheels 5, ten- A sion spring 6, staple feeding arm 7, bracket 8, retainer 9 and table 10 constitute the principal `parts and portions of the stapling machine.

The herein described machine is particularly suited for staples which are substantially U- V shaped in form, comprising a relatively long,

` straight cross portion S1 with slightly inturned `but straight prongs S2 which are pointed at their extremities.

A support and guide means 1 is provided which comprises a pair of vertically disposed plate memblade 2.

bers la and 1b which define a vertically extending slot 1c. The plate member la is removable while the plate member lb is provided with a foot or bracket pcrtion 1d which is attached to any suitable support such as the bed of a punch and die machine. The foot 1d spaces the plate members upwardly from said bed.V

vertically slidable in the slot 1c is a plunger blade 2. The plunger and its slot have approximately the thickness of the staple S. The plunger blade protrudes from the upper end of the support and guide means 1 and is vertically reciprocated by any suitable mechanism such as the plunger or the like member of a punch machine, not shown.

The plate member lb is provided with a laterally extending opening le which intersects the slot. The opening extends the length of the cross portion Sl of the staple and is provided with downwardly extending enlargements 1f at its extremities to receive the legs S2 of the staple as shown best in Fig. 2. Between the enlarged ends lf of the opening le and immediately below its central portion, the' plate member 1b is provided with an outwardly extending bearing 3 which is slotted at its central portion. The bearing 3 extends horizontally and in parallel disposed relation with the plane of the punch blade 2.

Journaled in the bearing 3 is a shaft 4. A staple delivery wheel 5 is secured to each end of the shaft 4. Each wheel protrudes into the enlarged portions 1f of the slot le and is provided with an arm portion 5a which extends underneath the plunger blade, there being provided a corresponding slot lg in the plate member lb. A tension spring 6 is provided which engages the shaft i in such a manner as to shift the arms 5a upwardly until limited by the upper extremities of the slots 1g. or engagement with the under edge of the plunger blade 2.

Whenthe plunger blade 2 is raised and the arms engage the upper ends of the slots 1g, the

arms define with the body of the wheels 5 V shaped notches 5b having their apexes directed downwardly and directly under the plunger- The notches 5b together support a i staple S by its cross portion. Sl. When so positioned the staple is engageable by the plunger blade 2 as shown best in Fig. 3. The engaging under edge of the blade 2 is preferably channeled to conform to the curvature of the section of the staple, but it is relieved opposite the arms 5c as indicated by 2a so as to be engaged thereby when the staple is absent.

When the arms 5a are positioned in their ex- Yof the blade.

treme upwardly directed positions, the forward edges of the wheels 5 have rudimentary hooks 5c adapted to engage and carry one staple by its cross portion. When the arms 5a. are depressed by the action of the plunger blade the wheels rotate to lift the hooks 5c and a staple carried thereby until the staple is lifted over the center of the wheels and may slide downwardly thereon until stopped by the side of the blade 2 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

When the hooks 5c are in their forward position they are in receptive relation, that is flush with the upper side of an inclined staple feeding arm '7. The arm 7, which is shown fragmentary is smooth surfaced and suniciently wide to t snugly but slidably between the legs S2 of the staples as shown in Fig. l. The staples feed downwardly by gravity on the arm.

Suitably supported so as to extend over the feeding arm '7 is a bracket 8 which supports a retainer 9. The retainer 9 is in the form of a leaf spring which comprises a center finger 9a and side fingers 9b. The center finger 9a, extends to the end staple resting on the hooks 5c, while the side fingers 9b extend only to the adjacent staple. Thus the center finger raises partway with movement of the wheels 5 retaining the staple against accidental dislodgment from the hooks 5c while the side ngers prevent the remaining staples from being disturbed. The portions of the wheels 5 following the hooks 5c form stops which are arcuate having radii equal to the extremities of the hooks 5c whereby the Staples are held from advancing until the hooks return to position.

Disposed under the extended portion ofV the support and guide means l is an arcuate or otherwise shaped table 10. In this case the table l0 is shown as arcuate to receive a circular, wooden basket or hamper lid, shown fragmentarily in Fig. 2, into the periphery of which it is desired to secure by a plurality of staples. The inner edge of the table is provided with an arcuate ridge lOa to aid in positioning the lid as shown. best in Figs. l and 2. Directly below the outer end of the slot 1c the table l0 is provided with a groove 10b arranged to engage the eX- tremity of a prong S so as to curl it under and into a lid as shown best in Fig. 2.

By reason of the inturned nature of the prongs S2 there is a tendency for the staples to shift rearwardly as they are secured to the lid. For

this reason the rear lower extremity of the slot 1c is recessed backwardly from its normal plane as indicated by 1h in Fig. 2. The table l0 is Set upwardly from the bed B so that the protruding end and its prong is undamaged when the other end is being acted upon.

Operation of the stapling machine is as follows:

With one staple positioned in the V-shaped notches 5b, another resting on the hooks 5c, and the plunger blade 2 moving downwardly into engagement with the rst staple as shown in Fig. 3, the blade causes the wheels to rotate counter clockwise against the action of the spring 6 so that the arms 5a descend until they clear the path Before this, the prongs S2 have entered the uninterrupted lower portion of the slot le and are held thereby. Further movement causes the prongs to protrude from the bottom of the slot, the one prong engaging the lid, the other prong being engaged by the recessed portion 1h and retaining the staple in position.

During this movement, the next staple is carried upwardly and over the wheels 5 so as to rest against the side of the blade 2. Upon raising of the blade, the Wheels follow the same by action of the spring, rotating clockwise until limited by the slots lg. When the blade 2 raises slightly farther, the next staple slides to the apexes of the notches 5b so as to be engageable by the blade on its next downward movement.

Though we have shown and described a certain construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions, we do not wish to be limited to the particular construction, combination and arrangement set forth, but desire to include in the scope of our invention the construction, oombination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to include by Letters Patent is:

1'. In a stapling machine, a guide, a plunger blade slidably mounted therein, a staple delivery means mounted at the side of the guide, said guide being apertured to expose the plunger blade, said delivery means including a positioning element adapted to support a staple in the path of said plunger blade, an element arranged to carry a staple, and an element engageable with said plunger blade for shifting said delivery means whereby said positioning element is moved clear of said plunger blade and said carrying element transfers a staple into receptive relation with said positioning element.

2. In a stapling machine, a guide, a plunger blade slidably mounted therein, a staple delivery means mounted at the side of the guide, said guide being apertured to expose the plunger blade, said delivery means including a positioning ele ment adapted to support a staple in the path of said plunger blade, an element arranged to carry a staple, an element engageable with said plunger blade for shifting said delivery means whereby said positioning element is moved clear of said plunger blade and said carrying element transfers a staple into receptive relation with said positioning element, and a staple feeding means arranged to support a plurality of staples in a series whereby said carrying element may engage the end staple of the series.

3. In a stapling machine, a plunger blade, a guide for said blade apertured at one side to admit a staple whereby said staple may be inserted in the path of the blade, a pair of delivery wheels mounted at the side of the guide and including positioning elements extending underneath the plunger blade adapted to support a staple in coactive relation with said blade, and carrying elements arranged to transfer a staple to the side of said blade, said blade engageable with said wheels to shift said positioning elements clear and simultaneouslyactuate said carrying elements, whereby upon subsequent raising of said blade, said positioning means receives and positions the next staple.

4. In a stapling machine, a plunger blade, a

one at a time from said feeding means to said plunger upon operation of said delivery members in response to said plunger blade, and positioning means also formed by said delivery members operable when said delivery members are in their limited positions to dispose a staple in the path of said plunger blade.

5. In a stapling machine, the combination with a coacting plunger blade and die means adapted to clinch a staple, of a staple feeding means terminating in spaced relation with the plunger blade, a delivery mechanism engaged by said plunger blade to withdraw a staple from said feeding means and deposit the same in proximity to said blade whereby, upon its subsequent movement, the blade both engages said staple to act thereon and operates said delivery mechanism to position the next staple.

6. In a stapling machine for initially U-shaped staples having a pair of prongs converging towards their extremities, a plunger blade, a guide therefor, an anvil, said plunger blade and guide adapted to receive U-shaped, converging pronged staple and direct one of the prongs into engagement with said anvil, said guide embracing the other prong of the staple to maintain the staple in position, and relieved to permit longitudinal movement of the staple whereby the other prong may move along its axis and penetrate an object disposed on the anvil.

7. In a Stapling machine for initially U-shaped staples having a pair of prongs converging towards their extremities, a plunger blade, a guide therefor, an anvil, said plunger blade and guide adapted to receive a U-shaped, converging pronged staple and direct one of the prongs into engagement with said anvil, said guide embracing the other prong of the staple to maintain the staple in position, and relieved to permit longitudinal movement of the staple whereby the other prong may move along its axis and penetrate an object disposed on the anvil, a staple feeding means, the inturned or converging legs of the staples embracing said staple feeding means to form sliding connections therewith, and a delivery means adapted to position a staple one at a time into co-operative relation with said plunger blade.

8. In a stapling machine for initially U-shaped staples having a pair of prongs converging towards their extremities, a plunger blade, a guide therefor, an anvil, said plunger blade and guide adapted to receive a U-shaped, converging pronged staple and direct one of the prongs into engagement with said anvil, said guide embracing the other prong of the staple to maintain the staple in position, and relieved to permit longitudinal movement of the staple whereby the other prong may move along its axis and penetrate an object disposed on the anvil, a staple feeding means, the inturned or converging legs of the staples embracing said staple feeding means to form sliding connections therewith, and a delivery mechanism actuated by movement of the plunger blade for transferring staples one at a time from said feeding means into coactive relation with said plunger blade.

9. In a stapling machine for initially U-shaped staples having a pair of prongs converging to- Wards their extremities, a plunger blade, a guide therefor, an anvil, said plunger blade and guide adapted to receive a U-shaped, converging pronged staple and direct one of the prongs into engagement with said anvil, said guide embracing the other prong ofthe staple to maintain the staple in position, and relieved to permit longitudinal movement of the staple whereby the other prong may move along its axis and penetrate an object disposed on the anvil, a staple feeding means, the inturned or converging legs of the staples embracing said staple feeding means to form sliding connections therewith, and a delivery mechanism including an actuating and staple positioning element extending between the plunger blade and the anvil and adapted to be engaged by and shifted clear of the plunger blade, and means actuated by movement of said element for transferring a staple from said feeding means to a position between said element and said plunger blade whereby subsequent action of the plunger blade shifts said element from its path and carries the staple to the anvil.

HAROLD MATTHEWS.

JAMES HENRY WARNTJES. EDWARD ARTHURS. WILLIAM CARL WILKINSON. 

